From Classics to Unique Options: 21 Fun Games for Everyone at Your Wedding Reception!
2018.06.05 published
Let's liven up the wedding after-party!!
A wedding after-party gathers a lot of guests. It is a casual party where everyone enjoys food and drinks while having fun.*
What influences the enjoyment of a wedding after-party is the content of the games held during the party♡
What kind of games can be enjoyed by a large group and keep guests engaged?
In this article, we will introduce 21 types of after-party games that experienced brides have actually played, from classics to unique ones!
If you haven’t decided on the flow of the after-party yet, please use this as a reference♩
Wedding After-party Game #1: Portrait Competition
The first game I’d like to introduce is the portrait competition, where guests draw portraits of the couple, and the best drawing wins!
☑ Split into teams and select a representative
☑ Decide by lottery or drawing
Incorporating a game to decide who will draw adds to the fun.
Additionally, dividing into groups and having each person draw one part to complete the portrait could also heighten the excitement♡
Decide the winner among the drawn portraits and present prizes to the winning individual or team♩
Wedding After-party Game #2: Lottery
A game that all guests can participate in and enjoy is the lottery with luxurious prizes.
The classic rule is for the couple to draw cards and give prizes to the guests whose names are drawn...
But if the prizes are selected by playing cards, guests can feel double the excitement♡
It might also be fun to mix in some humorous items like "shake hands with the groom"♩
Announcing the prizes in advance and having guests vote on their desired items is also popular.
The time spent deliberating "Which should I choose~!" is also enjoyable*
For detailed preparation and flow, please refer to this article.
Wedding After-party Game #3: Name Bingo
Bingo is a classic game often played at welcome parties and year-end parties♩ For an after-party with many guests, I recommend "Name Bingo," which allows everyone to engage rather than just calling out numbers.
Guests listen for the names of nine others around them (excluding their own) and write them on a bingo card.
The couple takes turns drawing names from a lottery, and the first guest to get bingo wins!
This allows guests to mingle, creating a homey atmosphere for the party♡
Wedding After-party Game #4: Mission Attack Bingo
Here's another unique bingo game to introduce. In "Mission Attack Bingo," you can only mark a square if you clear a mission assigned to it!
Each number drawn by the couple has a corresponding mission, and if the designated guest completes the mission, all guests with that number can mark it.
The missions can be quizzes, games, or anything acceptable♡
☑ Try a tongue twister
☑ Play rock-paper-scissors with the groom (or bride)
☑ Name X number of Yamanote Line stations in 20 seconds
☑ Catch a marshmallow with your mouth
And more. Everyone is cheering on the guest taking on the mission! It's said to create a sense of unity and excitement that surpasses regular bingo♡
More ideas for bingo variations are also provided♩
➡ Classic after-party games: 4 ways to make the familiar 'bingo' even more interesting
Wedding After-party Game #5: Drinking Speed Contest
Compete on who can finish their drink the fastest in a drinking speed contest♩
Decide on representatives for team competitions to see who can drink the quickest.
Coke is recommended for men, and orange juice for women (carbonated drinks might lead to burps, so women may prefer to avoid them).
You can also combine this with some other games and compete in a tournament format♡
Wedding After-party Game #6: Marshmallow Eating Contest
Just as there’s a drinking speed contest, there’s also an eating contest! The couple held a "Marshmallow Eating Contest."
Divide guests into teams and choose one male and one female representative from each team.
The girls carry one marshmallow at a time to the boys' mouths, and whoever finishes them all wins!
If the couple joins in as a pair, it will become even livelier*
Wedding After-party Game #7: Bride Guessing Quiz
Next, we introduce the bride guessing quiz, which is thrilling for both participants and viewers.
The groom, blindfolded, shakes hands with several people including the bride. This is a game where he must guess who the bride is just by touch.
Whether he guesses right or wrong, it gets everyone involved in the excitement♩
It might be good to prepare a penalty game in case he guesses wrong♡
Wedding After-party Game #8: Nostalgic Game Tournament
A nostalgic game tournament using toys that everyone has played with at least once in their life♡
This game uses "Blackbeard's Bubble." On "go," everyone stabs swords into their barrel, and the first person to have Blackbeard pop out wins!
This one features "Crocodile Dentist"♩
Guests take turns pressing the crocodile's teeth, and if the crocodile bites, they are out.
Everyone will surely get excited and return to their childhood*
Wedding After-party Game #9: Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament
The "rock-paper-scissors tournament" is a game that requires no preparation♩
Guests play rock-paper-scissors with either the groom or bride, and the last person standing wins a prize.
The rules are very simple, but it can surprisingly be quite exciting!
One bride secretly placed bills in the groom’s wallet and held a rock-paper-scissors tournament betting on the "contents of the groom's wallet."
The groom pretended to be surprised, adding to the surprise factor♩
Wedding After-party Game #10: Groom and Bride Quiz
For couples who want their guests to know more about them, the "Groom and Bride Quiz" is recommended.
Create quizzes about the couple and have guests think of the answers. Answers can be multiple-choice or open-ended.
Especially for guests who join from the after-party, they are probably very curious about what kind of person their friend is marrying.
Let’s come up with fun and interesting quizzes to share about both of you♩
➡ For after-party organizers, here are 100 helpful questions for the "Groom and Bride Quiz"*
Wedding After-party Game #11: Arm Wrestling Tournament
How about a tournament-style arm wrestling competition, especially if there are many male guests or if the groom is athletic?♡
An intense arm wrestling match for a prize can be thrilling* The groom can’t afford to lose either.
Some have even arranged for the bride’s father to surprise guests by challenging the groom for the bride!
Wedding After-party Game #12: Toilet Paper Roll Race
Next, let’s introduce the "Toilet Paper Roll Race," where participants compete to see who can roll toilet paper the fastest♩
It’s a very simple rule, but it generates loud cheers and thrilling excitement♡
Besides the host, you will need:
☑ Someone to hold the string with the toilet paper
☑ Someone to measure the time
So let’s involve guests’ cooperation in hosting this game♡
Wedding After-party Game #13: Human Treasure Hunt
The number one game that helps guests bond is the "Human Treasure Hunt"♡
Instead of the usual treasure hunt, the theme here is "Someone who is _____."
☑ Someone who has a gold driver’s license
☑ Someone over 180 cm tall
☑ Someone with a cracked smartphone screen
☑ Someone from Kansai
☑ Someone who attended the same high school as the couple
And so on♩
Also, if you specify a number to "bring X number of people who are _____," it increases the difficulty.
By the end of the game, everyone in the venue will feel as if they are friends♡
Wedding After-party Game #14: Handsome Contest
Some couples hold a "Handsome Contest," where guests select the best-looking individual from their teams, and the bride decides who is number one!
It’s sure to be exciting if there are many energetic male guests at the after-party.
Not only for handsome contestants, but various representatives can also be chosen to hold "X Contest."
Wedding After-party Game #15: Paper Airplane Throwing
Compete to see who can throw a paper airplane the farthest.
This game is open to all genders♩
Folding paper airplanes can be surprisingly tricky. As teams help each other complete their aircraft, it adds to the excitement♡
Wedding After-party Game #16: Charades
In this charades game, participants must express a given theme only through gestures while team members guess what they are mimicking.
Let’s challenge various themes, such as animals, characters, celebrities, etc.!
Funny gestures will bring about bursts of laughter.
If you mix teams of the groom's and bride's guests, it will deepen relationships between their respective guests♡
Wedding After-party Game #17: Who Will Show Up?
A tech-based game called "Who Will Show Up?" Guests write their phone numbers on cards and drop them into a lottery box at reception.
The couple draws a card and calls the number on it♩
The person whose phone rings gets a prize*
It’s an exciting game to see whose phone will ring.
Wedding After-party Game #18: 100 Yen Duel Game
Each guest is given a 100 yen coin, and they use that coin to compete in rock-paper-scissors in the “rock-paper-scissors game.”
Play rock-paper-scissors with someone nearby; if you win, you take their 100 yen coin. If you lose and don’t have any coins left, you’re out.
The last winner takes all the 100 yen coins!
As the game progresses and fewer people are left, the stakes naturally increase, creating a heated atmosphere♡
Wedding After-party Game #19: Pedometer Game
Compete on how much you can increase the count on a pedometer within a set time limit. Dance or run to the music♩
Continuous movement can be surprisingly tiring, so a time limit of about 30 seconds to 1 minute is recommended*
Wedding After-party Game #20: Shoe Game
The "Shoe Game" is a classic game found at overseas weddings.
The couple sits back-to-back, and in response to questions from the host or guests, they raise one of their shoes to answer♩
☑ Who fell in love first?
☑ Who asked the other on a date?
☑ Who apologizes first when they fight?
Answer questions about the couple♡
Because the couple cannot see each other, they reveal their true feelings, and the guests get excited♡
Wedding After-party Game #21: Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
The last game I would like to introduce is the Rock-Paper-Scissors Train! Many might remember playing this in elementary school during recreation.
Guests play rock-paper-scissors with someone nearby, and the loser connects to the back of the winner’s line in this game*
In the end, everyone in the venue becomes one long train♡
Present a luxurious prize to the guest at the front of the train.
Let’s liven up the after-party with fun games♡
I introduced 21 games that experienced brides have actually used in their wedding after-parties to get everyone excited♡ Did you find any interesting games?
Discuss with your organizer which games might be suitable for your after-party♩
➡ Check out more after-party articles on marry*
If you're deciding on an after-party venue now*
Couples who have yet to decide on an after-party venue should consult marry’s venue advisors*
✅ Distance from the venue
✅ Number of guests
✅ Budget
✅ Desired performance (such as wanting to use a projector)
By communicating the above criteria to the venue advisors, they can introduce suitable after-party venues that meet your wishes!*
The venues introduced by the venue advisors are exclusively selected by marry. They ensure to recommend venues you can confidently say, "I would love to introduce this place to my friends!" among many after-party venues, so please make use of this service♡
➡ Consult with marry's venue advisors about after-party venues via LINE*